British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Sunday that there was still a great deal to do in helping grow Iraq's democracy as he hailed the Iraq election as a success.

"Now we will have to sit down with the new Iraqi government once formed, and work out a way forward, to help Iraq's democracy grow, to build the capacity of the Iraqi forces to handle their own security and to make sure the large sums set aside for reconstruction can be spent to improve the lives of the people of Iraq," Blair said in a statement as Iraqi went to the polls on Sunday.

"Though we know it is only a beginning, and though many difficulties lie ahead, it was moving and humbling for those of uslucky to live in countries where we take democracy for granted, tosee the simple determination and clear-sighted courage of millionsof Iraqis exercising the right to vote...," said Blair.

"A democratic Iraq is not just a giant step forward for Iraq itself, it is a blow right at the heart of the global terrorism that seeks destruction not just in Iraq but in Britain and every major country in the world," he added, saying that he would like to pay tribute to the United Nations staff and Electoral Commission for Iraq for their steadfastness in organizing the election.

Blair also confirmed that some British service personnel had died when a Royal Air Force transport plane crashed northwest of Baghdad.

It was not known what caused the C-130 Hercules to come down orhow many had died in the crash.